Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David Edward Paul

Amanda Kay Freis

Aindrea McKelvey Campbell

Jina Kim

Dragan B Stojkovic

Darrin Neil Wagner

Ihab Grace

Christopher John May

Mike Popovski

Ahteram Khan

Anil Reddy Pullalarevu

Brad Warren Probert

Gerhard G G Lueschen

Ernest Dicks, Jr

This disclosure details mounting systems and associated methods for mounting a battery pack to an electrified vehicle. An exemplary electrified vehicle may include a frame, a battery pack, and a mounting system for mounting the battery pack to the frame. The mounting system may include one or more side rails. Each side rail may include a predefined crush initiator configured to plastically deform for absorbing and transferring energy during vehicle impact loading events.

High voltage battery pack mounting systems for providing load path management during impact loading events

An improved joining process interlocks parts together and avoids breakthrough in joints that would otherwise be infeasible. The process is used to join a relatively thin rear part to a relatively thick front part. A dedicated backer plate is joined to the front and rear parts such that the rear part is sandwiched between the front part and the backer plate. The front part, rear part, and backer plate are plastically deformed to establish interlock by insertion of a self-piercing rivet, clinching, or insertion of a flow drill screw.

Method of fastening vehicle parts

A body structure for a vehicle includes a cowl side defining a first vertical and longitudinal plane. A hinge pillar including a tab portion is attached to the cowl side in the first plane. The hinge pillar includes a stepped surface defining a second vertical and longitudinal plane that is offset outwardly from the first plane and parallel to the first plane. A front end rail includes an inner sidewall fastened to the cowl side and an outer sidewall fastened to the stepped surface the stepped surface. The longitudinal loads applied to the front end rail are transferred in shear to the hinge pillar and cowl side.

Vehicle front end joint

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Canton, MI, United States of America

David Edward Paul